Chapter 70 : Innocent Demise 1

Selene

Bleeding from several wounds, her ears still ringing, Selene leaned against the cave wall as Joshua examined her wounds. Her clothes were torn in several places, exposing the bleeding and torn flesh that seeped through the remains of her clothing. After staring at his handsome face for a few seconds, she closed her eyes and leaned her head against the rock wall, letting the pain leave her mind. There was still much to do, still many enemies to face, still the children to save. She hoped the two children were okay. She hated Nathan for daring to endanger such young and defenseless children, but what could she expect from an evil hybrid creature that had killed her entire family before her eyes, using her little brother as its instrument of destruction?

A lump formed in her throat at the thought of Joshua's children suffering the same fate as her family. They needed to save those children. Instead, they were wasting precious time treating her wounds. Before she knew it, she was begging for forgiveness. "I'm sorry, Josh. I'm so sorry."

A pair of midnight blue eyes turned to her, reflecting her confusion as he paused to check. "For what, Selene?"

She swallowed to ease the pain in her throat. "It's my fault. If I hadn't been stupid enough to get hurt, we wouldn't have wasted precious time trying to find your sons. You asked for my help to save them, instead I only slowed you down. If one of them gets hurt, I can't live with myself." She almost sobbed as she said the last word, hating the thought of them getting hurt and praying they wouldn't.

She watched as sympathy and understanding filled his eyes as Joshua raised his large hand to cradle her left cheek, his thumb caressing her cheek in a gentle stroke. "It is not your fault, my sweet Selene. It wasn't you who put them in danger." Self-blame was implicit in both his expression and his voice. "It was my failure to protect them that brought us to where we are now. If they had been hurt..." He swallowed, tears welling in his eyes. "If they get hurt, it's not your fault, it's mine."

As she reached for his hand that cupped her face, her heart ached from the pain Joshua felt. She just wanted to take it. Selene shook her head at his words. "It's not your fault," she repeated her words to him, "but the person who stole it from you. You can't blame yourself for someone else's evil deeds."

Joshua smiled, but it was not a happy smile. "I just wanted to comfort you, now it looks like I'm the one who needs comforting." Careful of her wounds, Joshua moved his hand from under her neck to wrap around her throat, while his other hand wrapped around her back, pulling her to his chest for a small hug.

Instead of fighting him off as she usually did, Selene leaned her forehead against his chest, comforting him and accepting him as well. They sat like this for only a few moments before he pulled away and cleared his throat, looking at her wounds.

Without looking at her, he said, "I'm sorry. I know you don't want my touch."

Now she felt like a total dumb bitch.

"No, it's okay. Don't worry about it."

They both fell silent as Joshua poked and pressed at the wound. It stung, but she didn't complain as she sat motionless under his gentle touch.

A minute later he said, "Your wounds don't appear to be life threatening. Most are quite superficial and have begun to stop bleeding." And finally, he looked up at her, his hand reaching out to gently stroke her ear, making her shiver. "How is your hearing?

Uncomfortable with his reaction to her, Selene lowered her gaze to his chest. "Everything's still a little muffled, but I think I'm okay." She looked at him with a determination that made his spine tingle. "I can still fight. We have to keep moving."

Joshua's small smile made her pounding heart feel strange.

"You really are an amazing woman, Selene." Then he stood and offered her his hand, gently pulling her to her feet when she took it. "Let me carry you. We'll make up for lost time when I go full speed."

Although she really did not want to show her weakness by being carried, Selene reluctantly agreed as she lifted her weapon and placed it on his strong back before lifting him into her arms, knowing full well that his body was very close to hers. She closed her eyes and gripped the front of his shirt with her fists as the cool cave air hit them as Joshua picked up speed, racing through the dark cave in search of his two sons.

The deeper they went into the cave, the more invisible their journey became to Selene as she closed her eyes tightly against the strong wind that continued to blow against her face, so she didn't notice as the light ahead of her grew larger and brighter. When she finally noticed the light, he had slowed and then stopped.

Selene lifted her head from where she had hidden her face in his shirt. She turned her head and blinked rapidly as her eyes slowly adjusted to the brightness compared to the soft green light in the tunnel.

Joshua gently helped her to her feet and returned the weapon to her skilled hands. Holding the heavy weapon was painful on her wound, but she forced herself to ignore the discomfort and focus on the cave around them. For the most part, there wasn't much to see except for a few large rocks, a small pond, and what looked like hundreds of candles that didn't give off any smoke when they burned. She knew that the candles were most likely magical, and that it would be almost impossible to put out the fire unless the magic was broken.

As was her habit, she searched all the entry points, but found none other than where they had been before. Finally, Selene focused on the lone occupant in the center of the room, near a large rock that had been carved into a crude chair. What appeared to be a woman was kneeling in front of the carved chair, wearing a beautiful outfit, a yellow and pink outfit with a white crane design. She could not see her face as it was hidden by her long, unbound black hair, her face pressed against the neck of a boy as the woman hugged him tightly.

At first she couldn't make out the small sounds coming from the woman as her hearing was still impaired, but from the shaking of her shoulders Selene knew that the strange woman was crying. Her gaze did not last more than a few seconds, but she felt the man next to her tense.

"Kenny," she heard the man say. Even her damaged ears could pick up the pain the low words caused.

Joshua took a step forward, determination burning in his expression, but he stopped. She knew why a second later when the woman's sobs reached her damaged ears. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry."

The strange woman wasn't speaking to them, but to the child she held so lovingly.

When Joshua stepped forward again, she was right beside him.

"Woman," his voice echoed with restrained anger, muffling the sobs of the woman who seemed to freeze at his commanding tone. "Return my son to me."

At that moment, Selene tensed, her hands gripping the strap of her weapon, ready for whatever might come. She might look harmless, but she took no chances.

A beautiful, tear-filled face emerged from the boy's neck, staring at her with a pained expression. She was silent, as if she didn't understand the order.

"Leave Kenny to me now! Where is my other son, Edgar? What have you done with him? Answer me, you wench!" he barked. Selene could hear his anger rising, feel the rage radiating from his tense body. But he continued to take long, angry strides forward, and she stayed by his side, refusing to let him face the danger alone. She watched over him. She would not abandon him.

"Stop! Stop right there!" the woman screamed, her arms tightening around the boy who remained motionless and still. Selene was worried by the boy's lack of response, hoping that he had only fainted and not died. She didn't know where Edgar was, but she prayed that he was safe as well.

Both of their movements stopped as she hugged the boy tighter, afraid to hurt him. They were still a few meters away from her kneeling position, too far to grab the boy and attack.

"Where is Edgar? And who are you?" Joshua demanded again.

His concern for his children was obvious, and her heart went out to him. It was clear that his children meant the world to him. If she could, she wanted to see them safely returned to his arms. Joshua had lost his mate, she didn't want to see him lose any more loved ones if she could help it.

Tears fell from the strange woman's eyes, sadness like a thick mantle around her. Her voice was soft but clear to Selene's ears as she listened in fear.

"I no longer have a name because I do not deserve one. I am known as the Ugly She-Wolf Dark Witch."

"I didn't mean it like that," the woman whined. "I just want to take care of them; I love them! But I'm so hungry..." A soft sound escaped her lips as she said the last word.

"What?" Selene said in horror, at the same time Joshua roared, "What have you done? By the moon goddess, speak up!"